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I stole the title of this blog from one of my favourite songs growing up from a band called Operation Ivy. The song is called "Knowledge" and the chorus has been in my head for days now as I reflect on the past year.

Today was my last day of teaching in 2014. I've never felt as tired, exhausted and burnt out as I currently do. It's been a more difficult year than most so far but one in which I've learned a lot and attempted to grow as a teacher.

As I reflect on the ups and downs of my work this year there's lots to be proud of and quite a few areas that I need to continue to work on. No matter what I do at work each day, for better or for worse, I like to think that I put in an honest days work each day and give the most love, support and guidance I can to my students.

However, what I am noticing as I get older and more experienced as a teacher is how little I actually know about everything. I feel that with age comes a realization that there are so many dyna…

If you've read my blog in the past, you'll know that I work with marginalized youth in Edmonton's inner city. A majority of my students are First Nations, Métis and Inuit with other students making up a diverse amount of backgrounds and ethnicities. Working within a culture and community that is not traditionally my own has been an utter privilege and honour. To be given the chance to work with youth who have not found success in traditional school settings has been a great challenge and opportunity to be able to demonstrate to youth that they have the skills, knowledge, and ability to complete their high school education and follow their passions later on in life. In short, I am one lucky and privileged teacher to be able to do what I do.

However, working within Edmonton's inner city community is not without its challenges. I am a firm believer that my role as a teacher is to be present within the community I teach and build relationships with different community part…